King Charles II shocked the Emmerdale cast this evening as he made a surprise appearance at the NTAs to pay tribute to the ITV soap on its 50th anniversary.
Appearing via video link during the glitzy awards show, which aired live from the OVO Arena in Wembley, he praised the importance of the countryside and said he was "delighted" to help the soap celebrate the milestone.
"I'm afraid I'm so old I remember when it was called Emmerdale Farm, owned by the Sugdens," he joked, hailing it as a "major British export".
He said: "It is a testament to all the hard work of its production team that it has since become such an important British institution and a major British export with hundreds of thousands of fans from Scandinavia to New Zealand, all keen to follow the fortunes of what is left of the Sugdens and their new neighbours.
"What makes Emmerdale so special is that it has kept true to the vision of its original writer, Kevin Laffan, who wanted to demonstrate that farming is not just a job - it's a whole way of life.
"On a daily basis, Emmerdale continues to depict what life is really like for those who work the land and protect our precious countryside. It also stresses brilliantly something that concerns me greatly: the long-term sustainability of the way we produce our food.
"I'm also heartened by the production team's efforts off screen. Their ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030 has already made Emmerdale one of the first British programmes to be awarded Albert certification, recognising its efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its production process and to create content that stresses the importance of establishing a sustainable future.
"So it is only right that the National Television Awards acknowledge the enormous contribution Emmerdale has made and I hope those watching will join me in sending a warmest congratulations on its 50th anniversary. And wishing it an equally successful future."
The star-studded ceremony finally returned tonight after it was rescheduled following the Queen's death in September.
Love Island's Ekin-Su, Katie Piper, Giovanni Pernice and Alison Hammond joined a long list of celebs as they dazzled on the red carpet.
Vicky McClure, Rose Ayling-Ellis and Gillian Wright are among those competing for an elusive gong, while Strictly, Britain's Got Talent and The Masked Singer battle it out for Best Talent Show.
Ant and Dec were sadly absent from night's show after contracting Covid, so have been forced to pull out of all of their TV commitments (including BGT). The pair had been hoping to win their 21st consecutive win in the TV presenter category, going up against fan favourite Alison Hammond in the process.
The NTAs announced their first award earlier today, gifting it to "trailblazing" comedian Sir Lenny Henry for his 50-year career.
Among those congratulating Sir Lenny for his achievements will be Hollywood star Whoopi Goldberg, who said: “If you want to know what a superhero looks like, take a look at Sir Lenny Henry.”
While Christine McGuinness admitted to feelings of nervousness and anxiety ahead of attending the ceremony.
The 34-year-old, who split from husband Paddy McGuinness earlier this year after 11 years of marriage, received a nomination for the pair's BBC documentary, Our Family and Autism.
"I'm going to the NTAs tomorrow - I'm a nominee for the documentary me and Patrick made with our children," she began, addressing fans on her Instagram story.
Sat in her car, she continued: "I'm really anxious. I'm quite nervous just because of everything - obviously it's not the best situation, but I haven't done anything wrong.
"I know what a big difference the documentary has made and I know how hard the whole team worked on it so I'm going to go and try and hold my head up high and just enjoy the night."
